203A Intro to Ubicomp Prof. Cristina Lopes

Ubiquitous Computing From Webster: –Main Entry: ubiq·ui·tous Pronunciation: yü-'bi-kw&-t&s Function: adjective Date: 1837 : existing or being everywhere at the same time : constantly encountered : WIDESPREADWIDESPREAD First envisioned and formulated by Mark Weiser (Xerox PARC) c AKA pervasive computing

Three Waves Mainframe computing (60’s-70’s) –massive computers to execute big data processing applications –very few computers in the world Desktop computing (80’s-90’s) –one computer at every desk to help in business-related activities –computers connected in intranets to a massive global network (internet), all wired Ubiquitous computing (00’s-?) –tens/hundreds of computing devices in every room/person, becoming “invisible” and part of the environment –WANs, LANs, PANs – networking in small spaces

Variations of Ubicomp Embedding for smart control –Embedded systems for cars, airplanes, etc. Creating new computing devices –Hi-tech, silicon-based gadgetry, e.g. PDAs, cell phones, mp3 players, active displays Connecting the existing physical world to a computational infrastructure –Ordinary objects and tasks re-evaluated and extended with computational/communication capabilities

Example – office door bells Bob

Example – “sousveillance” systems as opposed to surveillance: –“sousveillance”: watchful vigilance from underneath people can opt-out people join for own benefit society.org/articles1(3)/sousveillance.pdf

Applications first How can we enhance [everyday] activities by connecting them to a computational infrastructure? What computational infrastructure do we need?

Comp Sci and Eng Issues HCI Security & Privacy Communications & Networking Operating Systems Hardware Design Software Design The whole field! (again)

HCI the shrinking I/O interface overcoming real-estate shortage –new devices –voice / video input how to address many computers (without going insane)

Security & Privacy wireless data pervasive access points to network implementing surveillance overcoming surveillance

Communications & Networking Home Networks, Personal Area Networks, Ad-hoc Networks new media (e.g. sound, chemicals) new ways of using existing media (e.g. UWB radio) new metrics: bits/s/m 3

Operating Systems & Middleware must fit in small memories energy aware generic vs. specialized

Hardware Design small size, low weight, low power may have to be deployed in harsh environments production: extreme cost sensitivity component composition vs. chip synthesis fast product cycles

Software Design must cope with large variation in hardware must cope with rapidly changing requirements programming the system, rather than the devices how to partition the code so that it can be easily customized in different environments